NoteLoom Blog
Markdown tutorials & guides
We've turned the common Markdown questions into step-by-step guides: how to open .md, how to write Markdown, how to take notes with it, how to organize files once they pile up, and how to save the Markdown AI gives you.
All of it works with no plugins and no sign-up. When you want an editor that previews as you write and reads/writes a local folder directly, open NoteLoom in your browser.
Getting started · understand Markdown
What is Markdown? Understand the format in one line — and why AI so often uses it for answers and docs. What is a markdown file used for? AI answers, READMEs, notes, coding rules, and writing: the main uses of a .md file, and why not Word. How do you write Markdown? The basic syntax every beginner needs, plus how to preview formatting as you type. How do you write Markdown tables? Table syntax, left/center/right alignment, and line breaks and escaping in cells — all in one. Why aren't my Markdown line breaks working? Why a plain Enter doesn't break the line, and the three reliable fixes. How do you make a horizontal line in Markdown? Draw a divider with --- / *** / ___, and why --- can turn the line above into a heading. How do you insert an image in Markdown? The  syntax, and why a Markdown image often won't show — plus how to fix it. How do you shrink an oversized Markdown image? Standard Markdown has no size syntax: the portable HTML <img width>, plus NoteLoom's |300 shorthand and drag-to-resize. How do you write code blocks in Markdown? Inline code, fenced blocks, a language tag for highlighting, and why a block sometimes fails. How do you add a link in Markdown? Inline, relative, anchor, and reference-style links — and why a link sometimes breaks. How do you make a list in Markdown? Bulleted, numbered, nested, and task lists (checkboxes) — and why a list sometimes fails. How do you escape characters in Markdown? Use a backslash to show a literal *, #, or _, when to skip it, and the snake_case italics trap. How do you write a blockquote in Markdown? The > syntax, multi-paragraph quotes, nesting with >>, and why a quote stops halfway. How do you comment in Markdown? Add a note that does not render with an HTML comment, multi-line, and why it is not truly hidden. How do you strikethrough text in Markdown? Cross out text with ~~double tildes~~, why it sometimes fails (GFM vs CommonMark), and combining it. Why is your Markdown bold not working? Seeing ** instead of bold? A plain-text view, a stray space, or an app that does not render Markdown. Markdown not rendering? The common gotchas A diagnostic hub: whole file raw = a renderer problem, one thing off = a syntax slip, with the fix for each. Why does AI use Markdown? What those # * - symbols in ChatGPT and Claude answers do — one cheat sheet.Opening · make sense of .md
How do you open a .md file? What .md is, what opens it, and how to see the formatted result. Obsidian without admin rights or installing? On a locked-down work or school machine, open your vault's .md notes in the browser you already have. Compatible with frontmatter/wikilinks, not the full app. Obsidian on a Chromebook? Skip the Linux container and Android app: open your vault's .md notes right in Chrome. Works offline as a PWA, but not the full app. How to open an Obsidian vault without Obsidian? A vault is a .md folder; plain editors show raw [[ ]] symbols, NoteLoom renders wikilinks/embeds in the browser and saves back to the same files. How do you open Markdown from ChatGPT? After saving an AI answer as .md, how to store and read it properly. Is it safe to open a .md file? Can a Markdown file have a virus? Plain text runs no code; the two mild risks and how to inspect one safely.AI · keep the formatting of AI answers
How do you edit an AI-generated PRD? A PRD from ChatGPT or Claude is a .md file — how to read its structure, edit requirements, and save it back locally. How do you keep the formatting of an AI answer? How to save copied Markdown without the formatting falling apart.Using · take notes & organize
How do you start taking notes in Markdown? Pick a local folder, set a simple structure, and actually keep your .md notes. How do you organize .md files? When notes pile up, how to tidy scattered .md files so they're easy to find.Advanced · developer scenarios
How do you read a Codex plan.md? How to open and make sense of the plan.md that AI coding tools generate. What is README.md? The 'read me first' file in a project's root — how to open and understand it. What is CONTRIBUTING.md? The repo file that tells you how to contribute: setup, tests, PR conventions, and how it differs from README. What is GEMINI.md? The Gemini CLI's rules file: stack, conventions, commands, hierarchical loading, and how it relates to AGENTS.md. What is .clinerules? Cline's project rules: a .clinerules file or a .clinerules/ folder of Markdown, what goes in and where. What is .windsurfrules? Windsurf's rules file: a .windsurfrules file or a .windsurf/rules/ folder of Markdown, what goes in and where. What are AGENTS.md / CLAUDE.md? The 'standing rules' files written for AI coding tools — how to read and write them. How do you manage AI coding rule files? A pile of AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md, and .cursorrules — where to keep them, how to organize, how to be sure the AI reads them. What is copilot-instructions.md? GitHub Copilot's project rules file — where it goes, what to write, and how. Which AI rules file does your tool read? AGENTS.md vs CLAUDE.md vs .cursorrules vs copilot-instructions: which tool reads which, and where each lives. AI plans are too long to read? How to actually read a long plan.md: render it, skim the headings, jump to the risk. What is a .cursorrules file? Cursor's rules file: .cursorrules vs the newer .cursor/rules/*.mdc, what an .mdc is, and where they go.Want to skip the tutorials and just start? Open the online Markdown editor — read and write local .md, no install, no sign-up. If keeping files local and off the cloud matters most, see the local-first Markdown editor.
Just start writing your own
Open NoteLoom, pick a local folder, and read and write your own .md files in the browser — no software to install, no account to create.